1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an air flow apparatus and, more specifically to an air flow apparatus which provides a thin and continuous layer of jetting fluid.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art includes a variety of air flow devices that produce air curtains and columns. For examples, Iglis U.S. Pat. No. 4,046,492 which issued Sep. 6, 1977, discloses an air flow amplifier with an annular nozzle for producing a column of air. Broerman U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,705, which issued Jun. 5, 1990, discloses an air flow apparatus with a linear nozzle that provides a thin layer or curtain of jetting air.
The devices identified above typically include a protuberance at the outlet for redirecting the discharging air onto an angled surface of the device. This direction change of the air results in a reduction in its velocity and a loss of kinetic energy.
Other prior devices do not employ means for deflecting the air as it discharges. One such device, known as a coanda-type air flow amplifier, discharges air out of a slit and directs it along a curved surface and eventually along a plane disposed generally perpendicularly to the slit (see FIG. 1). The air in this application also loses velocity after discharging from the device and accordingly loses kinetic energy.
The apparatus of the present invention amplifies the velocity of fluid through its body and discharges the fluid through a linear nozzle or slit without redirecting the flow after discharge. It isolates the turbulence of the fluid it receives and distributes and regulates air flow evenly to the linear outlet. This design allows introduction of fluid into the device at a variety of positions without requiring an increased length. It facilitates the combination of two or more of the devices in end to end relation.
The apparatus of the present invention produces greater thrust efficiencies and air velocities than those of prior devices. It provides a construction which minimizes the expense of manufacture and assembly and gives precise, uniform and reliable performance. It comprises a small number of components which provide a continuous curtain of fluid.